Body weight supports and teaching aid

Abstract

The invention relates to body supports and teaching aids particular for use during skiing. Skiing to greater or to lesser degrees imposes strains on the muscles of the skier causing fatigue and encouraging a skier to adopt an incorrect stance or posture not conducive to good and correct skiing. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective body support and teaching aid that is effective during skiing and does not need to be removed during a temporary cessation of activity but allows substantial freedom of movement of the legs during walking and sitting. This objective is met by a construction comprising a first (upper) member adapted for location against the thigh area of the leg, a second (lower) member adapted for location against the calf area of the leg, a pivotal connection between the first and second members, the second member being connectable to the boot of a user, load bearing means located on the support to provide a resistance to pivotal movement between the first and second members, and said load bearing means being deactivatable to permit substantially free pivotal movement between the first and second members.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A body weight support configured for connection to a boot of a user, said body weight support characterized by a first upper member adapted for location against the thigh area of the leg, a second lower member adapted for location against the calf area of the leg, a pivotal connection between the first and second members, the second member being connectable to the boot of the user to form a connection between the second member and the boot, load bearing means located on the support to provide a resistance to pivotal movement between the first and second members, and deactivating means configured to provide that said load bearing means is deactivatable to permit substantially free pivotal movement between the first and second members, wherein said deactivating means is actuateable to provide that the load bearing means is inactive through a full range of motion and remains inactive while the user walks and sits. 
     
     
       2. A body weight support as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the connection between the second member and the boot is a rod fitted to a socket at the lower end of the second member and the socket and the rod are correspondingly threaded, the rod extending to a snap fit connection on the boot. 
     
     
       3. A body weight support as in  claim 1 , characterized in that strap means are provided to hold the support means to the leg of the user. 
     
     
       4. A body weight support as in  claim 3 , characterized in that strap means are provided to extend around the posterior of the user. 
     
     
       5. A body weight support as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the upper member is formed as a generally straight elongate, rectangular bar, to locate on the outside of the respective leg of the user, and is provided with a bracket at its upper end for straps to engage around the upper leg or thigh area, in addition to a strap to pass around the posterior of the user. 
     
     
       6. A body weight support as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the lower member extends from the pivot with an upper member to a curved and plate-like lower part to locate behind the calf muscle of the respective leg of the user, and a lower fixing strap is attached to the lower end of the lower support. 
     
     
       7. A body weight support as in  claim 3 , characterized in that quick release fittings are provided on all of the straps. 
     
     
       8. A body weight support as in  claim 3 , characterized in that the strap means to hold the lower part to the leg of the user serves as a shin support or protector. 
     
     
       9. A body weight support as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the load bearing means is at least one gas strut. 
     
     
       10. A body weight support as in  claim 9 , characterized in that the gas strut is located in a housing on the upper leg support, there being a cable connecting the gas strut to the lower leg support, said cable passing around a guide at the pivotal connection between the upper and lower members. 
     
     
       11. A body weight support as in  claim 9 , characterized in that the gas strut includes a cylinder and the cylinder of the gas strut is attached to a cradle secured to the upper member, below which is a cable attachment member. 
     
     
       12. A body weight support as in  claim 11 , characterized in that the cable attachment member has two guide rods extending through corresponding holes in the cradle which extend to a bridging member connected to and extending across the tops of the guide rods. 
     
     
       13. A body weight support as in  claim 12 , characterized in that in the bridging member is a rotatable stop, able to be rotated from a position where it forms an abutment to engage the top of a piston rod extending from the cylinder, to a position where a through hole in the stop is aligned with the piston rod, to allow the passage of the piston rod therethrough. 
     
     
       14. A body weight support as in  claim 12 , characterized in that between the cradle and the bridging member, the guide rods have coil return springs to hold the bridging member in an elevated position when the skier is upright. 
     
     
       15. A body weight support as in  claim 12 , characterized in that a coil spring is provided surrounding the gas strut and extending between the cradle and the bridging member. 
     
     
       16. A body weight support as in  claim 12 , characterized in that the gas strut is slidably mounted in the cradle and a coil spring is provided below the cylinder and bearing on the cradle. 
     
     
       17. A body weight support as in  claim 13 , characterized in that lever means are provided to rotate the stop means. 
     
     
       18. A body weight support as in  claim 9 , characterized in that said body weight support comprises a plurality of similar gas struts. 
     
     
       19. A body weight support as in  claim 9 , characterized in that said body weight support comprises a plurality of different gas struts. 
     
     
       20. A body weight support as in  claim 10 , characterized in that the cable is attached to the lower support member with provision for adjustment. 
     
     
       21. A system of two body weight supports, each configured for connection to a boot of a user, each of said body weight supports characterized by a first upper member adapted for location against the thigh area of the leg, a second lower member adapted for location against the calf area of the leg, a pivotal connection between the first and second members, the second member being connectable to the boot of the user to form a connection between the second member and the boot, load bearing means located on the support to provide a resistance to pivotal movement between the first and second members, and deactivating means configured to provide that said load bearing means is deactivatable to permit substantially free pivotal movement between the first and second members, wherein said deactivating means is actuateable to provide that the load bearing means is inactive through a full range of motion and remains inactive while the user walks and sits.